Helge Niemann appointed as professor Microbial and isotope biogeochemistry

As of 1 March 2019 dr Helge Niemann, who already is an established senior scientist at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), is appointed as extraordinary professor for the chair Microbial and isotope biogeochemistry at the Earth Sciences department of Utrecht University. “I am excited to use this opportunity to pass on my knowledge to the next generation.”

Biogeochemist Helge Niemann has always been intrigued by the transformation of important but ‘unconventional’ carbon substrates such as methane, oil and plastics and their fate in aquatic food web structures. With the same enthusiasm Niemann will strengthen the UU-NIOZ collaboration and will work with multiple research groups, in particular the organic and biogeochemists of Earth Sciences, as well as atmospheric researchers and oceanographers at the Faculty of Science.

Contribute to education and research

“I am excited to use this opportunity that I have now with this chair allowing me to pass on my knowledge to the next generation”, says Niemann. “I hope I can attract students to conduct research in the many collaborative programmes that exists between Utrecht University and NIOZ. My expertise will hopefully add to the excellence of the Earth Sciences department and I foresee that the links I already forged with colleagues at Utrecht University will get stronger and that new collaborations will develop. I’m convinced that these kind of dual positions will intensify research at both the university and NIOZ. For example scientists have better opportunities to make use of the excellent facilities at both institutions more frequently.”